High WASP Entertaining, The Artifacts

The question is, when to bring out the artifacts? For example,

Should we put guacamole in this? Too small. Camellias? Maybe. Nuts? Too big unless someone REALLY loves Brazil nuts. But it’s yours. And it’s family. And it’s pretty. So you bring it, and its peers, out along with the grapevine glazed platters from Crate and Barrel, in a rush of embarrassment, affection and pride.

How can you tell this is a High WASP artifact? See those initials? Sure, they are mine. It’s not unusual to have a silver bowl from Tiffany & Co., right? Except those were also my grandmother’s initials. And I was named in some small part so that all the monogrammed stuff that was bound to come my way was appropriate. No kidding. My mother admits it freely. I don’t mind. I love my mom. The whole thing cracks me up.

So, anyway, guacamole anyone?

29 Comments

great post! my mother has a champagne bucket that was her mother's, which she was given as a gift from the governor with the WI Republican Woman of the Year insignia on it and a personal message from him (he's a close friend of hers). Nan never used it, but MoMo uses it all the time! Nan is a crazy Southern Belle with lots of silver, all of which that MoMo pre-inherited, is used copiously instead of just hanging out in a hutch.

I too like to polish the stuff. Satisfying. You all do know that I had to screw my courage to the sticking point to post. I mean, it risks vulgarity. I can only justify this kind of display because you all asked me so nicely for pictures. However, I'm still shuddering a little bit.

I love to put out items like this when entertaining. We were given a couple of Tiffany bowls as wedding gifts – gorgeous. I really like the placement of the initials. It would be lovely holding flowers or citrus fruit for a warm evening soiree. During the holidays, you could fill it with shiny baubles (I do that with some antique ornaments – makes a great centerpiece).

LCP should I ever clear my closets I will send stuff your way. Using it is clearly the only way to go. I will send it with guacamole AND caviar, how about? Then you can fill it with flowers and ornaments. I too have done ornaments, but usually in my very very very large Swedish glass bowlish thing.

I have several silver serving pieces that belonged to my grandmother, and some handed down even from my great-grandmother. Olive spoon, anyone? I love pulling these out and using them for Thanksgiving and other family dinners.

Other inherited items: a crystal compote from the 1700's (supposedly) that holds fruit or potpourri on my dining room table, and some antique Blue Willow plates and serving pieces that due to probably lead in the glazes are for decoration only.

I collect these Tiffany bowls! The exact same shape! I have been collecting them since I started at Taft and simply adore them. I have two sizes and plan on eventually using them at a ladies luncheon at each place setting.

My mother did the same thing—only on the way to the birth certificate, someone switched middle and first names, so HMR (grandma's) became MHR–and I lost all claims to the monogrammed silver, which was eventually distributed among all the cousins.

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Am I serious? Privilege? Yes. At least when I'm not joking. While privilege can teach you what color shoes to wear with navy blue, nothing beats the privilege of being alive. So let's talk style, in the context of culture. Let's focus on the over-50. For more, please go here. Or you can reach me at my email: skyepeale@yahoo.com. That's the name I wanted to be called when I was 16. Ah. 16....